After Shashi Tharoor, Amarinder Singh backs Priyanka Gandhi for next Cong chief

New Delhi, July 29: Asserting that "lack of clarity" over leadership following Rahul Gandhi's resignation is hurting the Congress, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday backed Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for the post of Congress president, saying that the Congress general secretary would be an ideal candidate to take over the reins of the party.

He also said that the Congress leader would get all-round support if chosen to take over the reins of the party.

"She has a 'natural charisma' which has often prompted many to make comparisons with her grandmother and former party president, the late Indira Gandhi. Priyanka also comes with able organisational experience having been an influential figure at the core of the party for a while now and on the ground in Uttar Pradesh during the last elections," he said.

The chief minister, who was among the first senior Congress leaders to pitch for a youth leader to step into Rahul Gandhi's shoes after he resigned, said Priyanka Gandhi would be the best choice to take over the party reins.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had announced his decision to resign from the party's top post at the CWC meeting after the Congress' crushing defeat in the national elections in May. The party won just about 52 seats in the 545-member Lok Sabha.

Earlier on Sunday, Shashi Tharoor said he hopes that party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will throw her hat in the ring when the call for elections for the party chief's post is made, but added it was up to the Gandhi family to decide on whether she will contest for the post.

Tharoor also said he hoped that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is taking the current situation "very seriously" and is doing its best to find a solution without further delay.